Apparatus for generating radium water



Oct. 12s, 1927.;

A. DE CLAIRMONT APPARATUS FOR GENERATING RADIUM WATER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Feb. 16, 1926 vwentoz Oct. 1 A. DE CLAIRMONT APPARATUS FORGENERATING RADIUILWA'I'ER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 16, 1926 anouato'z A. de Clairm on t Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

" UNITED STAT ADoLrr: m: cnanmom or os ommas, Cami-101mm.

APPARATUS FOR GENERATINIGYRADIUM TER- Applicati on filed February Thisinvention relates to an improved apparatus for generating radium waterand has as its. primary object to provide an apparatus by the employmentof which, water, introduced into the apparatus, may become impregnatedwith radium emanations from the radium-bearing material within theapparatus, to a maximum degree. It is a well known fact that radiumemanations contained in water will be rapidly dissipated unless theimpregnated water is maintained under pressure. Even under thiscondition, the emanations will be discharged from the water and becondensed or deposited on the surfaces of the container which are abovethe water level. Therefore, it is obvious that if these depositedemanations can be again returned to the water, impregnation ofthe waterto a maximum degree will be eflected, and the present inventioncontemplates the provision of an apparatus where by this result may beobtained.

Another object of the inventlon 1s to provide an apparatus forgenerating radium water so constructed and capable of operation in sucha manner as to permit ofrecovery of a maximum amount of the emanationswhich have escaped from the water within the container of the apparatusand which have condensed or accumulated upon the walls of the containerabove the water 'level,.so that the apparatus will possess maximumefficiency and a thoroughly impregnated fluid ma be obtained therefrom.Another object o the invention is to provide a novel and highlyeflicient radiumemanation bearing unit or medium which will insure ofthorough impregnation of the water within the container of theapparatus. I

Another object of the invention is to so construct theradium-emanationbearing unit or medium and the portion of the apparatus with which it isassociated, that the said unit may be removed and another unitsubstituted therefor, thus permitting of the emloyment, in theapparatus, of radium-bearing materials of different strengths.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the apparatus embodying theinvention, a part being shown in section. v

16, 1926. Serial No. 88,65 1.

taken substantially on the line 3..3 of F igure 2, looking in thedirection indicated by the arrows. v

Figure 4 is a detail vertical transverse sectional view takensubstantially on the line of Figure 2, looking in the vdirectionindicated by the'arrows, and illustratin in detail the radium-emanationbearing medium of the apparatus. I

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a slightmodification of the invention. Y

The apparatus embodying the invention includes a container which isindicated in general by the numeral 1 and which is supported upon astand indicated in general by the numeral 2 and comprising a base 3'andspaced upstanding uprights 4, the container being provided withtrunnions 5 and 6 uponits outer side located at diametrically oppositepoints and nearer one end of the container than the other, the saidtrunnionsbeing journaled in bearing openings in the upper ends of theuprights 4; Inasmuch as the trunnions 5 and 6 are located nearer oneendof the container than the other and which end will be considered, in thefollowing description, as the upper end, the container will beoverbalanced' and tend to normally assume the position shown in Figure 2of the drawings. In order that the container may be swung back and forthupon its trunnions and completely rotated, a crank handle 7 is securedto the projecting endof the trunnion 6, and the purpose of thusimparting motion to the container will presently be fully explained. Itmay be stated at this point that when the container assumes the positionshown inFigure 2, it is inwhat may be termed the generating position andwhen it is inverted as shown in Figurel, it is in position for thedelivery therefmmof the impregnated water, and in order that thecontainer may be held in this latter position while the impregnatedwater is being drawn therefrom, the wall. of'the container is preferablyfor-med, opposite one of the uprights i, with a boss 8 having a socket 9therein to accommodate the end of v a locking plunger 10 which isslidably fitted' through the said upright and which is yieldably held,by a coil spring 11, thereon, in position to engage in the said socket9, the outer end of the plunger being provided with a finger piece 12whereby it may be re tracted to permit of return of thecontainer togenerating position. A faucet13 of any ordinary type is secured in' anair-tight manner in the wall of the container near the said upper endthereof and, when the container is in the deliveringposition shown inFigure 1 of the drawings, is so positioned as to permit of water beingdrawn from the container into a glass.

The container 1 may be of metal or any other material found suitable forthe purpose and the same is of cylindrical form and comprises a,cylindrical wall 13, an upper end wall 14, and a bottom 15, and the container is preferablyinitially formed intwo sections threaded together asat 16, a gasket 16' being'arranged at the threaded connection to renderthe same air-tight. A lining 17 of porous material such as porcelaimmaybe'applied to the inner surface of the upper section, including thecylindrical wall portion of said section as well as the top or upper endwall 14,and by separating the sec tions, the lining may be cleaned asrequired.

It has been found that porous material of this nature will more readilyaccumulate and retain the emanations which are deposited thereon thanwill a non-porous surface and, therefore, inasmuch as, in the generatingposition of the container shown in Fi ure .2, the portion of thecontainer which 1s provided with the lining 17 is above the level of thewater within the container, the radium emanations which. escape from thewater during the process of generation, will be deposited upon thesurface of the saidlining and retained thereby.

The numeral 18 indicates in" general a unit which carries theradio-active material and this unit comprises a metal base 19 :which isof flat circular form and threaded at its periphery as at 20 to engagethreads upon the wall ofan opening 21 formed in the bottom 15 of thecontainer and located centrally of said bottom. The underside of thebase 19 is preferably formed with a diametric groove 22'for theapplication of a screw driver whereby the base may be water within thecontainer. The numeral shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. At this pointit will be evident that radio-active units bearingradio-active materialof difbe readily substituted ferent strengths may he cylinder 24 is, of

one i for another.

course, open at its top so that water introduced into the container willfill the cylinder aswell as surround the same and, when the container isin the enerating position shown in Figure 2 of tfi e drawings, theradium emanations will impregnate the water with- I in the-containerandthese emanations will be dissipated and deposited upon the lming ,17.Inasmuch the container is closed in an air-tight manner during theperiod of gen- T eration, none of the emanations w1ll escape to theatmosphere.- 1 In order that water may be introduced into the containerof the apparatus, the top wall 14 of the containeris provided with aninteriorly threaded neck 26 into which is removably threaded a closureplug27,a packing gasket 28 being preferably interposedbetween the upperend of the neck and the underside of the head of the said plug so as, toprovide an air-tight fit between the parts.

The numeral 29 indicates in general "a pressure check valve which may beof any ofthe well known types and which is "secured in an opening in thetop wall 14 of I the container in an air-tight manner and provides meanswhereby carbonic acid gas or 1111; under pressure, or carbonated water,

may be introduced into the container, primarily to establish pressurewithin the container but also for the purpose of either carbonating thewater within the container or aerating the same.

In the use of the apparatus, the container I 1 being in the positionshown in Figure 2, i

the closure plug 27 is removedand, the valve or faucet 13 being open,water is introduced into the contalner until it appearsat-the saidfaucet, whereupon the faucet is closed and. the plug 27 is replaced.Carbon dioxide gas,

carbonated water, or air, under pressure, is then introduced into thecontainer by way of the check valve 29 until the desired pressure hasbeen established in the container, and c:

this maybe determined by an ordinary pressure gage applied, to thevalve. The container is then permitted to remain in the position shownin Figure 2, for a suflicient tions from the radio-active material 25within the cylinder 24, after whichthe container length. of, time topermit the water to become'impregnated with the radium emanais rocked orswung backwardly and forwardly through the'medium of the crank handle7,or the cont-ainermaybe so swung tion, may be completely rotated severaltimes through the medium of the crank handle so as to cause the waterwithin the container to wash or surge over the lining 17 and effectfurther impregnation of the water with the radium emanations. It will beunderstood that where carbonic acid gas is introduced under pressureinto the container, the agitation of the water in the containerresulting from the previously described move ment of the container, willeffect absorption of the gas by the water, and whether the gas referredto or air is introduced under pressure, the efiect will be to disturbthe radio-active material of the unit 18 and force the radium emanationsinto the water. Likewise, when the container is rocked or revolved, theradium emanations which have been deposited on the wall of the containerwill be taken up by the water.

When it is desired to withdraw the radium impregnated water from thecontainer, the container is rotated to the position shown in Figure 1 ofthe drawings, and the faucet 13' may then be opened to permit of thedischarge of the water, it being understood that the pressure which hasbeen established within the container serves to effect delivery of thewater without the necessity of the provision of any vent opening in thecon tainer.

The lining 17 is a permanent lining and it will, of course, be desirableto introduce into the container of the apparatus filtered water so thatthere will be no likelihood of the accumulation of impurities upon thesurface of the lining.

Figure 5 of the drawings illustrates a slightmodification of theinvention in which the sections of the container may be connected bythreads 30 or in any other manner, and a continuous bead 31 of solderapplied to the outer side of the container to extend entirely around andclose the joint between the sections in a gas-tight manner, it beingunderstood that by scraping off the bead 31, the sections may be readilyseparated.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In apparatus for generating radium water, a container, meanssupporting the same for free swinging movement from a normal positionto. an inverted position,

whereby it may be swung and-rotated as well as 1 inverted, a 1 valvedoutlet for' the waterat the normally upper portion-50f the container, 7

"and means within the container =at'the normallylowerportion thereof forthe retention ofradio-a'ctive-material. I

2: In "apparatus for generatingradium water, a container, meanssupporting the same near one end for free swinging movement whereby thecontainer will normally occupy one position, and, whereby the containermay be swung to an inverted posi tion, a valved outlet for the water atthe normally upper portion of the container, and means within thecontainer at the normally lower portion thereof for the retention ofradioactive material.

3. In apparatus for generating radium water, a container, means forsupporting the container near one end for free swinging movement from anormal position to an inverted position, means for holding the containerin'the latter position, a valved outlet for the water at the normallyupper portion of the container, and means within the container at thenormally lower portion thereof for the retention of radio-activematerial.

4. In apparatus for generating radium water, a container, meanssupporting the container near one end thereof for free swinging movementwhereby it will normally assume one position, a Valved outlet for thewater at the normally upper portion of the container, a radium-emanationaccumulating lining within the said normally upper portion of thecontainer, and means within the container at the normally lower portionthereof for the retention of radio-active material. I

5. In apparatus for generating radium water, a container, meanssupporting the same for free swinging movement from a normal position toan inverted position, a valved outlet. for the water at the normallyupper portion of the container, a valved in let for a fluid underpressure at said normally upper portion of the container, and meanswithin the container at the normally lower portion thereof for theretention of radio-active material.

6. In apparatus for generating radium water, a container, meanssupporting the same for free swinging movement from a normal position toan inverted position, a valved outlet for the water at the normallyupper portion of the container, a valved inlet for a fluid underpressure at said nor mally upper portion of 'the container, means at thesaid normally upper portion of the container for permitting theintroduction of water into the container, and means within the containerat the normally lower portion thereof for the retention of radio-activematerial. I

7. In apparatus for generating radium water, a. container, meanssupporting the mally upper," portionof the container, 9nd container nearone end thereof for free means within the container atthe norxnellyswinging movement whereby it will normal lower portion thereof, for theretention-of L 1y assume one position, a valved outlet forradio-activeineterial,the said val'ved o ntlet' ,5 the water at thenormally .upper portion of opening through the said lining.

the container a radium-emanation accumu- In testimony whereof I afiix mysignzitui e. lating porous lining within the said nor- 1 ,fA W M N

